


As Dark as Death

by manymessyfandoms



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Angst, Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie) Spoilers, Hurt No Comfort, its sad I'm sorry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-17
Updated: 2018-05-17
Packaged: 2019-05-08 08:04:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,386
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14689911
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/manymessyfandoms/pseuds/manymessyfandoms
Summary: Peter's finally back alive, but the one person he needs most to see is gone.





	As Dark as Death

All Peter Parker knew was darkness. For minutes, hours, days, years. Just… darkness. Until one day he opened his eyes, and it was light again.

“Peter? Are you awake?” a familiar voice cut through the haze he was in. Doctor Strange.

Peter suddenly gasped, remembering what had happened. He died. He burned away to ash, and there wasn’t anything he could do to stop it. The overwhelming feeling of dread in his chest tightened, and his heart started racing.

He opened his eyes, searching for the last ones he saw as he faded to nothingness. “Mr. Stark?” he said, the panic evident in his voice. “Tony? Where’s Tony? I- I need-”

Peter broke off when he noticed the other Avengers faces. They were anguished. Grief stricken. 

And Peter’s heart sank. 

“No,” he said, voice cracking. “No, he’s not… he can’t be. Someone tell me where he is.” There was only silence. “Somebody say something! Where is Tony?”

Steve Rogers, looking worse for wear, stepped forward and put a hand on his shoulder. “I’m sorry, Peter. He… he fought until his last breath. He saved us.”

Suddenly Peter was angry, so angry. “You’re lying! Why are you lying? _Tony’s not dead_ ,” he yelled and everyone flinched. “Just please tell me where he is. Please, I just- I just need to talk to him. I swear I won’t bother you if you just tell me where he went. Is he back at the tower already? Is that where he is? Please- please just tell me-” Peter hadn’t even realized he was crying until he couldn’t get any more words out.

He put his face in his hands and sobbed, the realization setting in that he lost another parent, another person he loved. 

Tony Stark was gone. 

The other Avengers started talking, but Peter ignored them all. The only thing he could focus on was the heavy feeling overtaking his entire body as he mourned for the loss of the man that would never know just how much he meant to Peter.

It was three days later they held the funeral. It was packed, and Peter could only stand in the back and hold back his nausea as people talked about how Tony was a hero. Peter didn’t care if he was a hero. He just wanted him alive. Peter missed him. Missed him in a way he hadn’t felt since Uncle Ben died.

“Peter,” Ned said after the funeral as he walked in the room, and Peter spared him a glance before turning back to the wall. “Listen, I don’t know everything that happened, but I’m sorry about Tony.” Peter just curled up in a ball and waited for Ned to leave. He just… he couldn’t.

Eventually Ned realized he wasn’t going to get anything out of Peter, so he left, and it was only a few minutes later that Peter’s phone chimed with the an email notification from none other than Tony Stark. He was suddenly more awake than he’d been in days. 

He quickly opened it and saw it was a video titled, Just in case. Peter’s hands were suddenly shaking, and he swallowed thickly before pressing play.

“Hey, kid. It’s me.” Tony’s face flashed on the screen. He looked so tired. There was such pain in his eyes, and it sent a pang through Peter. “So… there’s some stuff I need you to know.” He wiped a hand over his face. “You know what, no, I’m not doing this.” He moved to stop the video, but pulled his hand away and sighed. “Peter.” The sound of his name being said in that tone was something he would never forget. Peter didn’t even acknowledge the stray tears falling from his eyes.

“You’ve been gone for about a year. It’s… it’s been a long year, kid.” He tried to laugh, but it came out strained. “One of the longest. It’s… it’s rough not having your endless chatter to distract me from my thoughts. I keep expecting you to come bouncing into the lab with a grin on your face as you talk about whatever new idea that brilliant brain of yours has come up with.” Tony looked away from the camera before clearing his throat. “We have a plan, though. A good plan, actually. I think we’ve got a good shot of getting you back, Pete.” There was finally some of the brightness in his eyes that Peter had been accustomed to. “The thing is, I’m not quite sure I’m going to make it.” Peter felt his tears rush down his face quicker, and Tony sniffled. “And if I don’t make it and you do, then there’s stuff that I just- I really need you to know.

“First things first, I hope you’re doing well, kid. I know you probably shed a tear or two when you found out I bit it, but really, it’s okay. You’re obviously seeing this right now, and if you are, then I’m happy wherever I am in the afterlife.

“I’m not here to talk about me, though. We’re talking about you. You are such a pain in the ass, Pete. Did you know that?” Tony had such a fond look on his face that Peter choked out a chuckle. “Listen, even if I did survive this, I’d probably still be dead before soon anyways because of all the years you shaved off my life with your antics. Has anyone ever told you that you tend to cut things close?” Tony laughed for a second before his eyes grew sad.

There was a pause before he spoke next. “I miss you so much, Peter,” he said and he looked away from the camera. “You’re a menace, but you’re my menace. You were my responsibility, and you- you disappeared in my arms.” Tony furiously wiped at his eyes. “Shit, I wasn’t going to cry. Dammit.” Peter closed his eyes and bit his lip, holding back a sob.

Tony cleared his throat after a second. “But you’re coming back. You’re coming back because you can’t not come back. Because you’re Peter Parker, and you’re too good to die begging for your life. You deserve to die when you’re a hundred years old, surrounded by all people you love after a lifetime of memories. 

“And you’re going to live such a good life, Peter. It’s going to be great, and you’re going to do amazing things. Not even just as Spiderman.” Tony waved his hand in dismissal. “As you. As Peter Parker. Because Peter Parker is just as much of a hero as Spiderman is, so just don’t ever feel confined by your abilities. Your life could be whatever you make of it.

“No matter what you do, I’d be damn proud of you. I know you’re probably beating yourself up over what happened, but that’s not on you, so don’t be sad, Pete. Please. Live your happiest life, because you deserve to be happy. You deserve it more than anybody I know.”

Tony took a shuddering breath before a knock on the door sounded. “Yeah, I’m coming!” he yelled. “That’s my cue. Just… remember what I said. Okay, Pete? And if I do make it out of this alive, then I’m just going to cancel this damn video and this whole thing will have been for nothing.” Tony had a sad smile on his face. “Maybe I’ll even have the balls to say all this to your face, kid.” He rubbed at his eyes one last time before saying with a thick voice, “I love you, Peter. Goodbye.”

Peter hadn’t known how much time had passed before Aunt May walked into his room to find him sobbing on the floor, clutching his phone hard enough that a crack appeared on the screen. 

Arms wrapped around him and he eventually registered her words. “… okay, Peter, it’s okay.” The feeling of her fingers carding through his hair made him cry harder. 

“He’s gone, he’s dead. I’m never going to see him again,” he got out through his cries. Aunt May just said something Peter couldn’t remember.

When Peter Parker had died the year before, all he knew was darkness. What he didn’t know was how dark the world would be when he came back, because a life without Tony Stark was nearly as dark as death.


End file.
